Location identification

ABSTRACT

The location of a mobile terminal may be determined in response to signals received from a plurality of RFIDs. Information from a plurality of RFIDs for determining a location of a mobile terminal is received by the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal may maintain an in-range list that comprises all the RFIDs in which the mobile terminal is currently within their coverage range. The location of the mobile terminal is calculated in response to the received information for determining a location by calculating the common coverage area of the RFIDs in the in-range list.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to identifying the location of a mobileterminal, and more particularly, to identifying the location employingradio frequency identification (RFID) and providing location-basedservices.

At present, location-based service (LBS) is a new type of value-addedservice which requires: 1) identify location of the user requesting theservice; and 2) provide service that is specific to the user location.Location-based service has various contents, such as advertisement fornearby merchants, driving direction instruction, etc. Consequently, thelocation identification technology is the foundation and key to providelocation-based services.

Global Positioning System (GPS) is one type of location identificationtechnology. GSM based location identification is another type oflocation identification technology. When the location of a mobile phonechanges, its signal will switch from one base station to another. Thus,the location of the mobile phone can be determined according to thelocation of the signal's current base station. However, each basestation may cover a working area of hundreds of meters, so the locationidentified is less precise than that of GPS.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a one aspect of the present invention, a method forlocation identification comprises receiving information from a pluralityof RFIDs for determining a location of a mobile terminal, maintaining anin-range list that comprises all the RFIDs in which the mobile terminalis currently within their coverage range, and calculating the locationof the mobile terminal in response to the received information fordetermining a location by calculating the common coverage area of theRFIDs in the in-range list.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a mobile terminalcomprises a RFID reader for receiving information for determining alocation from a plurality of RFIDs, a location determination module fordetermining he mobile terminal's location according to the informationfor determining a location from the plurality of RFIDs. The locationdetermination module comprises an in-range list maintaining unit formaintaining an in-range list that comprises all the RFIDs that themobile terminal is currently within their coverage range and anintersection range calculating unit for calculating the common coveragerange of the RFIDs in said in-range list.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a RFIDstructure comprises a plurality of sub-RFIDs, each sub-RFID is used tostore and transmit one information segment, and a main RFID for storingand transmitting the information representing the sequence of theinformation segments stored in the plurality of sub-RFIDs.

According a still further aspect of the present invention, a computerprogram product for location determination comprises a computer usablemedium having computer useable program code embodied therein. Thecomputer useable program code comprises computer usable program codeconfigured to receive information from a plurality of RFIDs fordetermining a location of a mobile terminal, computer usable programcode configured to maintain an in-range list that comprises all theRFIDs in which the mobile terminal is currently within their coveragerange, and computer usable program code configured to calculate thelocation of the mobile terminal in response to the received informationfor determining a location by calculating the common coverage area ofsaid RFIDs in said in-range list.

Other aspects and features of the present invention, as defined solelyby the claims, will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in theart upon review of the following non-limited detailed description of theinvention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the method for location identificationaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an application diagram of the method for locationidentification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the method for location identificationaccording to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and B is an application diagram of the method for locationidentification of the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the embodiment that applies the method forlocation identification of the embodiment of the present invention tothe direction instruction and navigation services in a museum;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram that shows a mobile terminal for locationidentification according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a RFID structure according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the method for receiving data from the RFIDstructure according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a block diagram that shows an apparatus for receiving datafrom the RFID structure according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present inventionmay be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product.Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirelyhardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects all generally referred to hereinas a “circuit” or “module.” Furthermore, the present invention may takethe form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storagemedium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium.

Any suitable computer readable medium may be utilized. Thecomputer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but notlimited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared,or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Morespecific examples (a nonexhaustive list) of the computer-usable orcomputer-readable medium would include the following: an electricalconnection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, ahard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), anerasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), anoptical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), anoptical storage device, a transmission media such as those supportingthe Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that thecomputer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper oranother suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as theprogram can be electronically captured, via, for instance, opticalscanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, orotherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then storedin a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usableor computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store,communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or inconnection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may include a computerdata signal embodied in a carrier wave.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the presentinvention may be written in an object oriented programming language suchas Java7, Smalltalk or C++. However, the computer program code forcarrying out operations of the present invention may also be written inconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer. In the latter scenario, theremote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a localarea network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection maybe made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet usingan Internet Service Provider).

The present invention is described below with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) andcomputer program products according to embodiments of the invention. Itwill be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/orblock diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computerprogram instructions. These computer program instructions may beprovided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purposecomputer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce amachine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor ofthe computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, createmeans for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchartand/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in acomputer-readable memory that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instruction meanswhich implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the method for location identificationaccording to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.1, first at Step 101, RFIDs are installed at a plurality of fixedlocations respectively. As is known to those skilled in the art, radiofrequency identification (RFID) is a device that transmitsidentification and/or other information around certain range in the formof radio frequency. It can be implemented in the form of a contactlessIC card, for example. Of course, the RFID may be active or passive andthe present invention has no limitation to this. In the presentembodiment, a plurality of RFIDs may be installed at different fixedlocations respectively, each RFID stores therein the code that uniquelyidentifies that RFID and the information for determining a location,such as the information representing the location of that RFID (forexample, longitude, latitude and altitude etc.) and information of thecoverage area of that RFID. The information is transmitted in the formof radio frequency by the RFID. The RFIDs may be installed in a way thatthe RFIDs will have overlap coverage areas with each other.

Next, at Step 105, a user with a mobile terminal in his hand moves in anarea where the RFIDs have been installed, and the mobile terminalreceives signals transmitted from said RFIDs. In particular, when themobile terminal enters the coverage area of the signal of the RFIDinstalled at a fixed location, the code and the information fordetermining a location from that RFID could be received. Next, at Step110, the mobile terminal calculates the intersection of the coveragearea of two or more RFIDs from which signals can be received as thelocation range of that mobile terminal. It will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art that the mobile terminal described herein may takeany conventional form and operate on any cellular system. For example,the mobile terminal may comprise, in a portable housing, akeyboard/keypad, a display, a speaker, a microphone, a transceiver, anda memory that communicate with a controller. The network upon which themobile terminal operate may be, for example, code division multipleaccess (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Global System forMobile Communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS),Integrated Digital Enhanced Net (iDEN), Cellular Digital Packet Data(CDPD), J Phone, KDDI, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network or thelike.

FIG. 2 is an application diagram for illustrating the method forlocation identification of the present embodiment. As is shown, thecoverage areas of three RFIDs A, B and C intersect with each other. Thesignals from RFIDs A and C can be received when a mobile terminal is inlocation 1, according to the method of the present embodiment, it can bedetermined that the mobile terminal is within the common (intersection)coverage area (the oblique line area) of the RFIDs A and C. The signalsfrom RFIDs A and B can be received when a mobile terminal is in location2, according to the method of the present embodiment, it can bedetermined that the mobile terminal is within the common coverage area(the backlash area) of the RFIDs A and B. The signals from RFIDs A, Band C can be received when a mobile terminal is in location 3, accordingto the method of the present embodiment, it can be determined that themobile terminal is within the common coverage area (the graticule area)of the RFIDs A, B and C.

From the above description it can be seen that, in the presentembodiment, by setting relatively large coverage area of a RFID, andalso by installing RFIDs in a way that the coverage areas of RFIDsintersect with each other and determining a location by utilizing thecommon coverage area of the RFIDs, vacancy in coverage areas of theRFIDs can be avoided, that is, the state in which a mobile terminal cannot be located can be avoided, and thereby comprehensive and accuratelocalization can be achieved.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the method for location identificationaccording to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 3, the beginning Step 101 and 105 in the present embodiment is thesame as those in the above embodiment. Next, at Step 310, an “in-rangelist” and an “out-range list” are maintained on a mobile terminal.Wherein, all the RFIDs that the mobile terminal is currently withintheir coverage range are recorded in the “in-range list”; and the RFIDsthat the mobile terminal is currently out of their coverage range arerecorded in the “out-range list”.

In particular, according to the present embodiment, when the mobileterminal moves and it enters into the coverage range of a new RFID, themobile terminal will receive the signal from the new RFID. At this time,the mobile terminal determines whether the RFID is recorded in the“in-range list”, if no, the RFID will be added to the “in-range list”;in addition, the mobile terminal also determines whether the RFID isrecorded in the “out-range list”, if yes, the RFID will be removed fromthe “out-range list”.

On the other hand, when the mobile terminal moves and leaves thecoverage area of a RFID, the mobile terminal will not receive the signalof the RFID. At this time, the mobile terminal determines whether theRFID is recorded in the “in-range list”, if yes, the RFID will beremoved from the “in-range list”; in addition, the mobile terminal alsodetermines whether the RFID is recorded in the “out-range list”, if no,the RFID will be added to the “out-range list”.

Thus, it can be maintained that the “in-range list” will always recordthose RFIDs that the mobile terminal is currently within their coveragerange, while the “out-range list” will record those RFIDs that themobile terminal had entered but has been out of their coverage range.

Next, at Step 315, the common coverage area of the respective RFIDs inthe “in-range list” will be calculated. Then, at Step 320, the coveragerange of the respective RFIDs in the “out-range list” will be subtractedfrom the common coverage range calculated at Step 315 and the resultingarea will be taken as the current location range of the mobile terminal.

FIG. 4A is an application diagram of the method for locationidentification of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4A, assumingthat after passing the coverage range of RFIDs A and B, a mobileterminal comes to location 3, which is within the intersection range ofRFIDs B and C. At this time, in accordance with the method of thepresent embodiment, RFIDs B and C are recorded in the “in-range list”and RFID A is recorded in the “out-range list” of the mobile terminal.Accordingly, it can be determined that the mobile terminal is within anarea that subtracts the coverage range of RFID A from the commoncoverage range of RFIDs B and C (the oblique line area).

From the above description it can be seen that, in the presentembodiment, by excluding the coverage range of a left RFID from thecommon coverage range, the current location range can be furtherdetermined accurately.

Further, according to one variation of the present embodiment, each RFIDalso stores therein the location and coverage range information ofnearby RFIDs and the information is also transmitted via radio frequencysignals. Correspondingly, when a mobile terminal enters the coveragerange of a new RFID, besides to receive the location and coverage rangeinformation of that new RFID, the mobile terminal also receives thelocation and coverage range information of nearby RFIDs. At this time,the mobile terminal determines whether the RFID is recorded in the“in-range list”, if no, the RFID will be added to the “in-range list”;in addition, the mobile terminal also determines whether saidneighboring RFIDs are recorded in the “out-range list”, if no, saidneighboring RFIDs will be added to the “out-range list”.

In this way, a mobile terminal can not only exclude the coverage rangeof those RFIDs from which signals have been received and from which theterminal have left from the common coverage range of the RFIDs fromwhich signals are being received, but also further exclude the coveragerange of those RFIDs which are neighboring and from which signals havenever been received. Moreover, even if the mobile terminal can onlyreceive one RFID's signal, the location range can also be determinedaccurately.

FIG. 4B shows an application diagram according to the method forlocation identification of the present variation. As shown in FIG. 4B,in case that a mobile terminal is in location 4 and can only receivesignal from RFID A, because besides the location and coverage rangeinformation of that RFID A, the mobile terminal also receives thelocation and coverage range information of neighboring RFIDs (B, C, D, Eand F in the FIG.). Accordingly, the mobile terminal can subtract thecoverage range of the above neighboring RFIDs from the coverage range ofRFID A, thereby the location range (namely, the oblique line area in theFIG.) of the terminal can be achieved.

In addition, the above-described method for location identification ofthe various embodiments can further provide location-based services fora mobile terminal. In particular, location-based service information isstored in a RFID, the mobile terminal can receive the serviceinformation from the RFID and provide location-based service for a userbased on the location of the terminal.

Next it will be described with examples, FIG. 5 is a diagram of theembodiment that applies the method for location identification of theabove embodiments to the direction instruction and navigation servicesin a museum. RFIDs are installed at fixed locations in the museum sothat the whole region of the museum is covered by the signals of theRFIDs, for example, nine RFIDs L1-L9 are installed at fixed locations inthe museum. The whole region of the museum is divided into several smallregions, for example, three regions R1-R3, and there are multiple RFIDsin each region, that is, RFIDs L1, L2 and L3 in region R1, RFIDs L4, L5and L6 in region R2, and RFIDs L7, L8 and L9 in region R3. Thus,relative to each RFID, other RFIDs are divided into two categories: theRFIDs in a same region and the RFIDs in a different region. Then thelocation information transmitted by each RFID contains: the location andlocation-based service information of present RFID; the location-basedservice information of a same region; the location-based serviceinformation of a different region; wherein the location of present RFIDcomprises the present RFID's identification number, longitude, latitudeand signal's coverage range. Take the RFID L1 in region R1 as an exampleto illustrate the location information transmitted by a RFID, whereinthe location of the RFID L1 is represented as “L1:longitude/latitude/signal's coverage range”; the location-based serviceinformation of a same region is used to introduce the exhibit atlocations of other RFIDs in the same region and to instruct the route tothat RFID, for example, the information “Vinci, Mona.Lisa: L2; N15, E20”represents that at RFID L2 in region R1 is the portrait of Mona.Lisa byVinci, and the route from RFID L1 to RFID L2 is “N15, E20”; thelocation-based service information of a different region is used tointroduce the exhibit in a different region and to instruct the route tothat region, for example, the information “Treasure: R2; N30, E20”represents that in region R2 is a treasure exhibition, and the routefrom RFID L1 to region R2 is “N30, E20”. When a user wants to obtain thedirection instruction to a location, he/she may enter a keyword, themobile terminal will search in the received location information to findthe matching information, if find, the information will be presented tothe user. If the matching information found shows that the location theuser wants to go is within another region, the user first reaches thatregion based on the matching information, and then further obtains moredetailed instruction information.

In addition, the location-based service information can also beprestored in a mobile terminal. When the mobile terminal has determinedthe current location, it retrieves the service information correspondingto the current location and provides it for the user.

In the above embodiments, the location information and thelocation-based service information may be one of or a combination oftext, audio and image.

From the above description it can be seen that not only the currentlocation of a mobile terminal can be determined, but also thelocation-based service functions can be implemented by employing themethod for location identification of the present embodiment.

The present invention also provides a mobile terminal for locationidentification. FIG. 6 is a block diagram that shows a mobile terminalfor location identification according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 6, the mobile terminal 600 for locationidentification of the present embodiment comprises: a RFID reader 601for receiving the information for determining a location from RFIDs, inparticular, receiving RF signals from RFIDs and demodulating them toobtain the information in them, such as location, coverage range etc.; alocation determination means 603 for determining the location of saidmobile terminal according to said information for determining a locationfrom RFIDs; an information output means 602 for outputting theinformation of said determined location to a user, for example, by wayof displaying text, image and outputting voice etc.

Wherein, the location determination means 603 further comprises: anin-range list maintaining unit 6031 for maintaining an “in-range list”,in which the RFIDs that said mobile terminal 600 is currently withintheir coverage range are recorded; an intersection range calculatingunit 6032 for calculating the common coverage range of the RFIDs in the“in-range list”; an out-range list maintaining unit 6034 for maintainingan “out-range list”, in which the RFIDs that said mobile terminal iscurrently out of their coverage range are recorded; and an exclusionrange calculating unit 6033 for subtracting the coverage range of eachRFID in the “out-range list” from the common coverage range calculatedby the intersection range calculating unit 6032.

Further, when there is location-based service information stored in theRFIDs, the RFID reader 601 further receives the location-based serviceinformation from the RFIDs. In case that the service information needsto be prestored in the mobile terminal 600, the mobile terminal 600 mayfurther comprises: a service information storing unit 604 for storingthe location-based service information. In addition, the informationoutput means 602 also outputs location-based service information to auser.

The mobile terminal 600 for location identification of the presentembodiment can operationally implement the method for locationidentification described in the above embodiments.

Various of the foregoing components of the mobile terminal 600, otherthan those described further herein, may be included in manyconventional mobile terminals and their functionality is generally knownto those skilled in the art. It should be further understood, that, asused herein, the term “mobile terminal” may include a cellularradiotelephone with or without a multi-line display; a PersonalCommunications System (PCS) terminal that may combine a cellularradiotelephone with data processing, facsimile and data communicationscapabilities; a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) that can include aradiotelephone, pager, Internet/intranet access, Web browser, organizer,calendar and/or a global positioning system (GPS) receiver; and aconventional laptop and/or palmtop receiver or other appliance thatincludes a radiotelephone transceiver. Mobile terminals may also bereferred to as “pervasive computing” devices.

Since the storage capability of a RFID is limited, when there are moredata to be stored in the RFID, for example, the amount of the serviceinformation is large, better services and more powerful functions alwayscould not be provided.

FIG. 7 is a diagram that shows a RFID structure according to oneembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, a RFIDstructure 700 comprises: one main RFID 701 and a plurality of sub-RFIDs7021-702n. Wherein, each sub-RFIDs 7021-702n stores therein oneinformation segment, and the main RFID 701 stores therein theinformation representing the sequence of respective information segmentsstored in the sub-RFIDs 7021-702n. Thus, large data can be divided andstored in multiple sub-RFIDs and can be recombined together by thesequence information in the main RFID.

Further, the RFID structure of the present embodiment can be applied tothe above embodiments. For example, the RFID structure of the presentembodiment can replace the RFID in the above embodiments. Each sub-RFIDs7021-702n stores therein one segment of the location-based serviceinformation; and the main RFID 701 stores therein the informationrepresenting the sequence of the respective information segments in thesub-RFIDs 7021-702n and the information for determining a location.Thus, richer service information that does not be limited by the storagecapability of a single RFID can be provided, for example, image, audioand even video service information can be provided.

The present embodiment will also allow a user to implement a simple RFIDsystem to meet his current needs at low cost, and seamlessly upgrade theRFID system later by adding additional RFIDs. In the circumstance thatdifferent information provider may want to provide part of theinformation individually or independently, then every informationprovider might use a RFID tag with RFID structure of the presentembodiment. The RFID data structure of every RFID tag has same main RFIDand different sub-RFID. With the information in main RFID, the sub-RFIDsare organized to provide one complete information. A user does not haveto replace a RFID tag in a location in order to upgrade the informationsystem. The user can add a second RFID to the location for additionalinformation storage.

The present invention also provides a method for receiving data from theRFID structure, that is, a method for receiving data from the RFIDstructure 700 described in the above embodiment that comprises one mainRFID 701 and a plurality of sub-RFIDs 7021-702n. FIG. 8 is a flowchartof the method for receiving data from a RFID structure according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8, first at Step 801, information is received from aplurality of sub-RFIDs and one main RFID respectively. Asabove-mentioned, in the RFID structure, each sub-RFIDs 7021-702n storestherein one information segment, the main RFID 701 stores therein theinformation representing the sequence of the respective informationsegments stored in the sub-RFIDs 7021-702n. The present step receives(reads) this information respectively.

Next, at Step 805, the information segments from said plurality ofsub-RFIDs 7021-702n are combined into complete information according tothe sequence information from the main RFID 701.

Thus, the information segments stored dispersedly can be received fromthe RFID structure and be recovered into complete data by employing themethod of the present embodiment.

The present invention also provides an apparatus for receiving data fromthe RFID structure, that is, an apparatus for receiving data from theRFID structure 700 described above that comprises one main RFID 701 anda plurality of sub-RFIDs 7021-702n. FIG. 9 is a block diagram that showsan apparatus for receiving data from the RFID structure according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, the apparatus 900 for receiving data from the RFIDstructure of the present embodiment comprises: a RFID reader 901 forreceiving the information from the sub-RFIDs and the main RFID in theRFID structure. An information combination unit 902 for combining theinformation segments from the plurality of sub-RFIDs in the RFIDstructure into complete information according to the sequenceinformation from the main RFID in the RFID structure.

Further, the apparatus 900 for receiving data from the RFID structure ofthe present embodiment can be applied to the above-described mobileterminal 600. In particular, the apparatus 900 for receiving data fromthe RFID structure of the present embodiment can replace the RFID reader601 of the mobile terminal 600. Thus, the mobile terminal 600 also canreceive large data from the RFID structure.

In addition, the present invention also provides a system for locationidentification. According to one embodiment of the invention, the systemfor location identification comprises: a plurality of RFIDs installed ata plurality of fixed locations respectively; and the mobile terminal forlocation identification described in the above embodiments.

Further, in a system for location identification according to anotherembodiment of the invention, at least one of said plurality of RFIDscomprises the above-described RFID structure, that is, it comprises onemain RFID and a plurality of sub-RFIDs. Accordingly, the mobile terminalemploys the mobile terminal that has applied the above-described means900 for receiving data from the RFID structure, thereby it can receivedata from the RFID structure.

Next, still take a museum as an example to illustrate the application ofthe system for location identification of the present embodiment. A RFIDstructure is installed at the entrance of the museum. All thelocation-based service information used by the museum is stored in theplurality of sub-RFIDs of said RFID structure, and the RFIDs at otherlocations will only store the information for determining a location.Thus, when a visitor enters the museum, his/her mobile terminal willreceive service information from the RFID structure, and when thecurrent location has been determined during visiting, the mobileterminal then can provide the current location information and theservice information for the user.

It can be seen that a location could be determined accurately and richlocation-based services could be provided for a user by utilizing thesystem for location identification of the present embodiment. Inaddition, the RFID structure can also be installed at the entrance toeach floor respectively for transmitting the service information used bythat floor to the mobile terminal, so that the requirement to thestorage capacity of the mobile terminal can be reduced.

Although the method for location identification, the mobile terminal forlocation identification, the RFID structure, the method and apparatusfor receiving data from the RFID structure and the system for locationidentification of the present invention has been described in detailwith some illustrative embodiments in the above, these embodiments arenot exhaustive, and various changes and modifications may be made by oneskilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, the invention is not limited to these embodiments, and thescope of the invention is only defined by the appended claims.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinationsof special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

1. A method for location identification, comprising: receivinginformation from a plurality of RFIDs for determining a location of amobile terminal; maintaining an in-range list that comprises all theRFIDs in which said mobile terminal is currently within their coveragerange; calculating the location of the mobile terminal in response tosaid received information for determining a location by calculating thecommon coverage area of said RFIDs in said in-range list, wherein theinformation for determining a location from said RFID comprises thelocation information of said RFID and the coverage range information ofsaid RFID; maintaining an out-range list that comprises a list of theRFIDs that said mobile terminal is currently out of their coveragerange, wherein calculating said mobile terminal's location rangecomprises subtracting the coverage range of each RFID in said out-rangelist from the common coverage area of said RFIDs in said in-range list,and the information for determining a location from said RFID furthercomprises the location information of RFID's neighboring said RFIDs andsaid neighboring RFID's respective coverage range information; adding anew RFID to said in-range list when said mobile terminal receives asignal from said RFID; and adding said neighboring RFIDs that are notpresent in the in-range list to said out-range list according to theinformation that comes from said RFID and that represents the locationof said neighboring RFIDs and their respective coverage range.
 2. Amobile terminal, comprising: a RFID reader for receiving information fordetermining a location from a plurality of RFIDs; a locationdetermination module for determining said mobile terminal's locationaccording to the information for determining a location from saidplurality of RFIDs; said location determination module comprising: anin-range list maintaining unit for maintaining an in-range list thatcomprises all the RFIDs that said mobile terminal is currently withintheir coverage range; and an intersection range calculating unit forcalculating a common coverage range of said RFIDs in said in-range list,wherein said location determination module farther comprises: anout-range list maintaining unit for maintaining an out-range list thatcomprises all of the RFIDs that said mobile terminal is currently out oftheir coverage range, and an exclusion range calculating unit forsubtracting the coverage range of each RFID in said out-range list fromthe common coverage range calculated by said intersection rangecalculating unit, said RFID reader farther receives location-basedservice information from said RFIDs, said mobile terminal farthercomprises a service information storing means for storing saidlocation-based service information, said plurality of RFIDs comprise: aplurality of sub-RFIDs, each sub-RFID is used to store and transmit oneinformation segment, and a main RFID for storing and transmitting theinformation representing the sequence of the information segments storedin said plurality of sub-RFIDs.
 3. A computer usable medium havingcomputer readable instructions embodied therein for locationdetermination, the computer readable instructions, when executed on acomputer system, causing the computer system to perform the operationscomprising: receiving information from a plurality of RFIDs fordetermining a location of a mobile terminal; maintaining an in-rangelist that comprises all the RFIDs in which said mobile terminal iscurrently within their coverage range; calculating the location of themobile terminal in response to said received information for determininga location by calculating the common coverage area of said RFIDs in saidin-range list, wherein the information for determining a location fromsaid RFID comprises the location information of said RFID and thecoverage range information of said RFID; maintaining an out-range listthat comprises a list of the RFIDs that said mobile terminal iscurrently out of their coverage range, wherein calculating said mobileterminal's location range comprises subtracting the coverage range ofeach RFID in said out-range list from the common coverage area of saidRFIDs in said in-range list, and the information for determining alocation from said RFID further comprises the location information ofRFID's neighboring said RFIDs and said neighboring RFID's respectivecoverage range information; adding a new RFID to said in-range list whensaid mobile terminal receives a signal from said RFID; and adding saidneighboring RFIDs that are not present in the in-range list to saidout-range list according to the information that comes from said RFIDand that represents the location of said neighboring RFIDs and theirrespective coverage range.